{"id":5929,"date":"2016-09-15T15:10:46","date_gmt":"2016-09-15T15:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelodgeblog.wpengine.com\/?p=5929"},"modified":"2023-03-28T13:28:04","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T13:28:04","slug":"top-london-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/destination-guides\/london\/top-london-bars\/","title":{"rendered":"10 London bars for your Bucket List"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. For the view…<\/strong>The bar at Aqua Shard<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Sprawling across the 34th floor of the Shard (i.e. the tallest building in Europe), the views from this bar are second to none. From the dome of nearby St Paul\u2019s Cathedral to the Houses of Parliament, it\u2019s all particularly pretty at night when the whole of London is lit-up and twinkling. Getting a table by the window can be tricky, for obvious reasons, but you are encouraged to take your drink and wander.<\/p>\n

\"View

Up at the top. Photo \u00a9 emrezengin<\/p><\/div>

2. For the drinks…<\/strong>DandeLyan at Mondrian<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Housed in the ultra-chic Mondrian hotel on London\u2019s South Bank, the cocktails at this gorgeously decorated bar (we particularly love the Peptobismol pink leather banquettes) are some of the most accomplished you\u2019ll find in the whole of the city. All the drinks have a refreshing, botanical twist and the menu even suggests at what time of day you should try them. If you\u2019re booked into our Central Waterloo hotel<\/span><\/a>, you\u2019re a 12 minute walk away.<\/p>

3. For the speakeasy vibe…<\/strong>Experimental Cocktail Club<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no signage outside, so you might find yourself walking up and down a busy street in Chinatown for a good 10 minutes before finally trying the scuffed black door that leads to ECC. Still, you won\u2019t regret it once you\u2019re inside. This small, low-lit cocktail bar serves impeccable drinks and even if there are no free tables, there\u2019s often room to perch at the bar.<\/p>

4. For the good times… <\/strong>London Cocktail Club<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

There are seven outposts of this crowd-pleasing cocktail bar, dotted across central London, but all have the same theme: reasonably priced but delicious cocktails and a fun, fun, fun atmosphere. The perfect place to start a night as the bar staff will ensure everyone gets into the party mood.<\/p>

5. For no-fuss fun…<\/strong>Happiness Forgets<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

If you want a really fantastic drink, but don\u2019t feel like getting dressed up, then this basement bar will be right up your street. It\u2019s a tiny, low-lit bolthole that feels romantic, despite being a little sparse. And the cocktails are renowned for being some of the best in London.<\/p>

6. For getting food afterwards…<\/strong>The Permit Room at Dishoom King\u2019s Cross<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Housed in the basement of Dishoom\u2019s King\u2019s Cross restaurant, 6 minutes\u2019 walk from the local Travelodge<\/span><\/a>, this stylish bar is the perfect place for a pre- or post-dinner tipple. Even if you don\u2019t eat at the restaurant (which you should, it\u2019s fantastic), from the bar\u2019s prime position just off Granary Square, a whole host of top-notch eateries are just moments away. Plus the drinks are to die for.<\/p>

7. For hanging out with the cool crowd…<\/strong>Peckham Springs<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Nestled in a railway arch under Peckham Rye station, this fun and fuss-free cocktail bar is the best place to go if you want to spot a Yuccie (that\u2019s a young urban creative – hipsters are so 2010). The cocktails are delicious and at \u00a36 a pop, might actually be the most reasonably priced in the whole of London.<\/p>

8. For all-out glamour…<\/strong>Nightjar<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Despite being just moments away from the traffic-laden Old Street roundabout, this below-ground bar is an oasis of old school glamour. Think live jazz and cocktails served in bone china tea pots. Booking is recommended as it can get busy.<\/p>

9. For the memorable decor…<\/strong>Satan\u2019s Whiskers<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Just a 6 minute walk down Cambridge Heath Road from your Bethnal Green hotel<\/span><\/a>, this bar is a destination for those who come from much farther afield. Playing hip hop and serving some seriously good cocktails, it\u2019s a fun night out all on its own and the perfect place to get some Instagram fodder thanks to the bar\u2019s extensive collection of taxidermy.<\/p>

10. For making the journey special…<\/strong>The Gilbert Scott Bar<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

One of the most romantic settings in London is just a stone\u2019s throw from St Pancras Station, perfect for getting in a last-minute cocktail before you catch your train. Housed inside the St Pancras Renaissance hotel, if the stunning painted ceiling and pretty bell chandeliers don\u2019t impress you, the expertly shaken cocktails certainly will. Be sure to try the Negroni.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"1. For the view…The bar at Aqua Shard Sprawling across the 34th floor of the Shard (i.e. the tallest building in Europe), the views from this bar are second to none. From the dome of nearby St Paul\u2019s Cathedral to the Houses of Parliament, it\u2019s all particularly pretty at night when the whole of London […]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,1211],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destination-guides","category-london"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5929"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5929\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}